cover image A Treasury of Princess Stories

A Treasury of Princess Stories

, , illus. by Gary Blythe. . Candlewick, $19.99 (80pp) ISBN 978-0-7636-4478-9

This collection of six familiar fairy tales about princesses pairs a unique design with lush acrylics and stirring retellings. The titles for the stories are presented on lift tabs, which unveil pop-up representations of scenes from each: for “The Wild Swans,” a red-haired princess nestles in a green nest as she’s charioted by the flock of birds. The pop-up aspect, while elegant, takes a backseat to Ehrlich’s poetic renditions (“The Wild Swans” was previously published as a stand-alone; the other five appeared in the 1985 collection, The Random House Book of Fairy Tales ) and Blythe’s textural paintings, which impart the princesses and their surroundings with striking luminance. Ages 7–up. (Sept.)